Cable shield



E. ST. `JO EN CABLE SHIELD March 24, 1936.

Filed March 23; 1934 /NVENTOR E. 57:' JOHN ATTORNEY CII Patented Mar.24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFISE CABLE SHIELD Application March 23,1934, Serial No. 717,025

3 Claims.

This invention relates to shields and more particularly to devices ofthis nature which are for use in supporting aerial cables.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a shield for aerialcables which will protect the sheath from abrasions due to the cablesupporting rings cutting into the sheath.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a shield for aerialcables which may be adjusted to the various sizes of cables.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shield which canbe readily installed with a minimum amount of time and labor and withoutthe use of special tools.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a cableshield which is inexpensive to manufacture, and yet is sturdy inconstruction.

Heretofore, it has been common practice in the supporting of aerialcables to provide some means for preventing the cable supporting ringfrom cutting into the cable sheath. The most widely used method ofpreventing cutting has been the provision of a saddle on the interior ofthe cable ring, this saddle being somewhat wider than the ring itselfand presenting to the surface of the sheath a wider surf-ace than couldbe obtained by the ring. It has been found that this method is highlyunsatisfactory and that it did not solve the problem, inasmuch as thecable was still free to rotate in the ring and the surface of the saddlewas not large enough to prevent the wear which is present when the cableis allowed to rotate in its supporting ring.

If the saddle on the cable ring were made large enough to preventwearing of the cable due to the movement of the cable therein, thesaddle would attain such a size that not only would the cost beprohibitive, but they would be difficult to handle and would make thepulling of the aerial cable extremely hard.

The invention comprises essentially a wide strip of flexible metal ofsuflicient length to surround the cable to which it is to be secured,each end of the strip being bent back upon itself a short distance toprovide a U-shaped channel. Located in the channel on one end of thestrip is an elongated wire loop having at each end a bent up portion,this bent up portion having a slight twist. In applying applicantsshield to a cable, the strip is wrapped around the cable and the freeend is brought into engagement with the Wire loop. The extending ends ofthe wire loop are now further twisted to draw the strip tightly aroundthe cable sheath; the cable supporting ring is then installed in theusual manner.

In a modified form of the invention the free end of the strip has nobent over portions, but is merely pulled through the loop until it :tssnugly around the cable and it is then bent back upon itself to secureit in position. The extending ends of the loop are now twisted asheretofore described to secure the strip around the cable sheath. Thisconstruction allows various sizes of cable to be accommodated by asingle shield.

The features which are believed to be characteristic of this inventionare set forth in the appended claims and the invention, both as to itsorganization and its method of operation will be further explained inthe following detailed description, having reference to the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation illustrating the improved device as appliedto a cable;

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of applicants device before it has beenapplied to the cable;

Fig. 4 is an end view of a modified form of applicants device; and

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the modified form of cable shieldbefore it is applied.

Referring now to the drawing, as shown in Fig. l, I0 is a messengerstrand and extends parallel to the cable II which it supports by meansof the ring I2 the arms I3-I3 of which embrace the supporting strand ormessenger lil.

As shown, applicants improved shield I4 is positioned between the loopI5 of the ring I2 and the sheath of the cable II. The cable ring I2 maybe any one of the well known types which, due to its own tension, locksitself on the messenger strand in such a way as to prevent longitudinalmovement thereon.

As shown in Fig. 3, the shield I4 comprises a rectangular strip and ispreferably made from a durable and ductile material. The ends of thisstrip I4 are bent back upon themselves for a short distance to form therolled edges or channel portions I6 and I'I. Located in the channelportion I'I is one side of the wire loop I8. This loop I8 is rectangularin shape and comprises two parallel side members I9 and 2U, the endportions of which are partially twisted to form the upstanding loops 2|and 22. These partially twisted loop portions 2I and 22 extend upwardlyat an angle from the main body of the loop member I8.

This shield in its application to a cable sheath is bent into circularform to enable it to engage the cable sheath in gripping relation asshown in Figs. l and 2. After the shield I4 has been bent around thecable II, the free end I6 is hooked over the portion I9 of the loop I8.The shield is now in Contact with the cable, but is loosely mountedthereon. It is now necessary to tighten the shield to secure it inposition on the cable sheath. This is accomplished by twisting the loopportions 2I and 22, with any suitable tool, in a clockwise direction.This twisting shortens the distance between the two parallel sidemembers I9 and 20 of the loop I8 and consequently draws the portions I6and il of the shield I9 toward each other thereby securing the shield Mtightly against the sheath of the cable. Inasmuch as the space betweenthe parallel members I9 and 20 may Vary in width, one length of vshieldwill do for various sizes of cable, within certain limits.

In order that one size of shield may accommodate a greater number ofsizes of cable, the applicant has provided a modified shield in whichthe turned-over-end portion on the free end of the strip has beeneliminated and in applying the shield to the cable, the procedure is thesame as outlined above, except that the free end 23 is placed under theportion I 9 of the ring I8 and thence back on itself, as shown in Fig.4, the surplus strip may then be cut off and the shield tightened on thecable as heretofore described.

The broad surface presented by applicants shield assures protection tothe cable sheath even though there is a displacement of the ring due tocreeping. The securing of the shield tightly to the cable in the mannerheretofore described, permits the cable and shield to rotate in itssupporting ring, thereby applying the Wear between the ring and theshield instead of between the ring and the cable sheath.

What is claimed is:

1. A protective shield for aerial cables and the like comprising arectangular strip of metal, one end of which is provided with a bentover portion to form a lip thereon, an elongated wire loop, formed froma single piece of wire and having parallel sides, one side of said looppositioned in said lip and the other side engaging the free end of saidstrip, said loop member having eye portions at its ends extending abovethe main body of the loop for drawing the sides of said vloop towardeach other by applying a twisting motion thereto.

2. A protective shield for aerial cables and the like comprising arectangular strip of metal, the ends of which are provided with bentover portions to form lips thereon, an elongated wire loop formed from asingle piece of wire, the sides of which are parallel and cooperate withsaid lips, said loop provided at its ends with upwardly eX- tending eyeportions for drawing the sides of said loop toward each other when atwisting motion is applied to said extending portion.

3. A protective shield for aerial cables and the like comprising arectangular strip of metal, the ends of which are provided with bentover portions to form lips thereon, an elongated wire loop formed from asingle piece of wire and having parallel sides which engage the bentover portions of said strip, said loop provided at its ends withupwardly extending eye portions for drawing the sides of said looptoward each other when a twisting motion is applied to said extendingportion.

'EVERETT ST. JOHN.

